Wednesday, 1 September 2010

Bob Brown of The Greens signed an agreement with Gillard today, backing a Labor-led government. Abbott told Brown yesterday that he would oppose any deal he put up on climate change, sparking the trigger for him to sign.

In the deal, Gillard requested numbers from the Greens, and refusal to support any no confidence motions against Labor.

In his deal, Brown demanded a move towards free dental health care; referendum on indigenous Australians to be recognised in the Constitution; reform for political advertising and donations; a debate of Afghanistan, and a climate change committee, effectively dumping Labor's 'citizen's assembly'. However, there's no Greens MP in cabinet under this deal, nor any mention of the gay marriage debate, so passionate to The Greens.

Regardless, it's still up to three lone independents: Rob Oakeshott, Bob Katter and Tony Windsor, who say they're at the "pointy end" of the deal.

Perhaps they'll compete to see who can hold out the longest, and be the "one" who gets the final casting vote. I hate to say it, but I suspect that the 3 amigos will stick together and untimately crown Abbott, but not until they've belaboured the point till we've all had a gutfull and just want it to end.

Sure will be interesting then, to see what sort of industrial laws Abbott shoves through while Fielding is still in the Senate - we'll be dragged kicking and screaming back to the 20th century - and then how will Abbott deal with a Green balance in the Senate after the new Senate sits in July?

In the meantime, all the talk of who got the most primary votes, the most 2 party preferred votes, or what the News Ltd polls reckon, means absolutely nothing - the only statistic that counts is who can get a majority in the new parliament when it finally meets.

Hurrah!!! A better dental care scheme...I don't know how many old people I see around town with decayed teeth....poor old loves, hopefully they can expect better treatment now.And a debate on Afghanistan...ABOUT bloody time!Hurrah! Some positives have come out of this deadlock already.

I'm inclined to think Katter, Windsor and Oakshott will go Coalition, and Wilkie, Labor.That will mean Abbott wins with one seat. I, too, am keeping an open mind and an optimistic outlook. The deal with Labor and Greens has produced some really good stuff, and I've no doubt the deal between Abbott and the independents will also produce some great changes.

Geez Alison! I didn't think *I* was a poor old love!I too suffer the Aussie affliction of nofreedentalitis, and I am of the somewhat sprightly age of 47. Of course, I am partly to blame for my poor teeth, I also blame the no free dental issue. After all, I was nursed back to health for four months in a public hospital for 'free' in the early 80's after a nasty car accident. A part of this accident was the loss of a front tooth. It took 2 years to get a cap for the tooth. About as long as it took me to walk again. Why so long? Public Dental care waiting lists are booked at least that far ahead. I've heard of *5* year waits for dentures.So, yep, I agree. Hooray for Free Dental!...I also applaud many of the other agreements and implementations, but I've rambled on enough for one comment.Cheers

People like Alison are exactly what's wrong with some people in this country. Whatever happened to personal responsibility? What happened to using a brush once in a while? How people can let their teeth go without doing something for themselves is just ignorant and irresponsible. The government isn't your mommy. Thank god for fluoride.

Ed, from my understanding most damage to teeth (as with skin) occurs during the first two decades of our life, when, as children or teenagers, we are not able to take full “personal responsibility”. If the circumstances in which we grow up, including our parents’ values, aren’t conducive to regular dental care or consuming healthy food, our teeth may be helped by fluoride, but introducing this chemical to the water supply (as has only recently occurred in Queensland) is not sufficient to prevent tooth decay. Because none of us can walk in others’ shoes, we need to show compassion rather than point the finger of blame. Talking about personal responsibility serves little purpose, other than to show ourselves up as being ignorant in different ways.

"$11 Billion shortfall estimated by Treasury in LNP Election Costings."...and Windsor and Oakshott are "unimpressed". Wilkie looks set to join the LNP after running on "honesty and transparency in Government". ROFL ROFL ROFL ROFL. Ohh Christ I laughed at that.

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